Synopsis: Goku talks to Kaio-sama via telepathy and says he knows he's probably been listening in on them, so he asks if he knows where this 'Planet Namek' is. Kaio-sama says that he does, and speaks so that everyone on the plane can hear him, surprising all of the others. Kaio-sama first praises everyone on a job well done, confessing that he thought all hope was lost as soon as Goku went down. Goku confesses that he didn't expect Vegeta to be as strong as he was, as not even a Kaio-ken was enough to beat him, and Kaio-sama says he's partially to blame as he didn't predict the Saiyan being as strong as he was either. Goku asks if it was a mistake to let him get away, and as Kaio-sama hesitates answering, Roshi asks Kuririn what he means by that – surely Goku didn't let him get away on purpose? Kuririn promises to tell him all about it later on. Using a reference book, Kaio-sama reads off the coordinates to Planet Namek using Earth terms, shocking Bulma as she hears them. She has Roshi take the wheel again as she does some quick calculations, and Kaio-sama tells them more about Namek. He explains that Namek was once a paradise, but a cataclysm struck it a long time ago, and he assumed it to have wiped out all of the Namekians at that time. He wonders if any of them could have survived, and as the others worry they may be out of luck after all, Kaio-sama checks in on things on Namek. Karin says that Kami must have escaped the cataclysm on Namek before it happened and came to Earth only to forget his heritage, either due to his young age at the time or some kind of head injury. Yajirobe questions how anything could have taken the Namekians out if they had the Dragon Balls, but Roshi explains that they got the answer right from Shen Long himself when they wished Goku back to life – the dragon, as it turns out, isn't all powerful, and can only grant wishes within the power of it's creator, so this cataclysm must have been too much for even the Namekian Dragon Balls. As Yajirobe scoffs, thinking that the Dragon Balls aren't all they're said to be after all, Kaio-sama shouts with joy – there are about a hundred Namekians alive on Planet Namek even as they speak! Everyone is happy to hear this save for Yajirobe who thinks back to how scary Kami could be, but Kaio-sama explains that most of the Namekians were peaceful like Kami was, and that it must have been evil Earthlings he met along the way that brought out the corruption that became King Piccolo originally. Roshi thinks this is great news, as they should be able to wish even Kami back to life now, but Bulma puts a damper on everyone's celebrating by revealing that even using the fastest space ship her and her father could build, it would take over four thousand years to reach Namek. Everyone is taken aback, and when Goku asks Kaio-sama for advice, Kaio-sama is also at a loss. Kuririn suggests that they use the Saiyan's spaceship then, and reveals that the ship Vegeta escaped in was small, meaning a second ship must have been left behind by Nappa. Goku points out that there was the ship his brother came in to, though Gohan broke that one... Bulma thinks this is a great idea, as if she can even look at the ship, she can probably use it to make another one. Roshi says the ship is probably where the Saiyans first landed in East City, and as Kuririn reveals that he took the remote Vegeta left behind that can probably call the ship to them, everyone celebrates again. The next day, everyone has received medical attention at a hospital in West City, where it's revealed that Gohan and Kuririn will be ready to leave in about three days. Goku however is injured badly enough that the hospital says it'll take at least four months for his body to heal, and they aren't even sure if he'll ever be the same at all. Karin tells him just to wait however, as he should have some senzu for Goku in about a month's time. Yajirobe scoffs at not even having to be hospitalized after all he went through, and Kuririn teases him by revealing that he heard Yajirobe begging the Saiyan to let him join him, a fact Yajirobe decries as a 'strategem' he was working. The moment is soon interrupted by a returning Bulma, who turns on the TV to show the news talking about an alien space pod that was recovered from East City. Roshi thinks this isn't good, as they can't get it if the scientists there already have it, but Bulma thinks it's more fun this way – she hits a button on the remote, intending to bring the ship to them on live TV...but the button she hits causes it to self destruct instead. As everyone laments that they now don't have a way to get to Planet Namek and use their Dragon Balls to revive everyone, Bulma accuses Kuririn of this being his fault for picking up the remote, and he objects and points out that it was her that hit the wrong button. The conversation is interrupted by Mr. Popo, who floats outside the hospital window on a flying carpet, surprising them all. What Popo says surprises them even more however, as he asks someone to come with him, as he believes he's found another ship. Review: This chapter continues with the question of what exactly our heroes are supposed to do now that they don't have the titular Dragon Balls at their disposal to fix things. Running with the intel that Kuririn picked up from listening to the Saiyans, Goku brings Kaio-sama in to help them out, and it's all thanks to him that we finally get some details on how exactly an alien other than Goku made it all the way to Earth long, long ago. Before moving on to that though, I have to touch on something I said last time. I mentioned that every time exactly how Vegeta got away was brought up, the exact details of 'Goku let him leave' were avoided, prompting me to wonder if anyone other than Goku, Vegeta, Kuririn, and Kaio-sama ever found out about that fact. Well, turns out Goku basically says it in this chapter and Kuririn promises to explain it all a little later, so chances are they do all find out about Goku's dumb and selfish request. So much for my memory, I completely forgot about that, but in my defense it's a really quick moment here and the actual explanation and any reactions it causes all happen off screen, so...it's forgivable enough, I'd say. Really does make you wonder how Chi Chi especially reacts to this information though. Once Kaio-sama finds where Namek is, he gives us a quick rundown on Namekian history as well. It seems that unlike King Piccolo or his offspring, there's probably nothing to fear from the Namekian people as, in general, they were more peace-loving than warlike like the Saiyans were. There's also a pretty good chance they're all dead. Well, that's unfortunate news, but as Kaio-sama thankfully checks in and finds out that they are not in fact an extinct race as of Piccolo's death, Karin makes a couple of theories about how Kami lost his memories in the first place. We never really get any other discussion on this subject moving forward, so it's all basically speculation, but honestly I like to go with the 'too young to remember what happened' myself, mostly due to 'hitting his head' already been taken by Goku, and it's a little much to expect that to have happened to both of Earth's first known alien visitors. There's also a nice reminder that the Dragon Balls are no longer all powerful – something to keep in mind as the arc continues forward. Even once they know where Namek is and that there are survivors however, a more immediate problem comes in the form of them having no readily available way to get there in any amount of time that works. Once again, the problem seems to be solved almost instantly however, as Kuririn points out that there's still a Saiyan pod to make use of. While it'd only fit one of them, there's still the option of using it as research fodder, which is where Bulma comes into play. This is a great idea story wise, as it finally gives Bulma something to do in the story again, something that she really hasn't had since...huh. In the grand scheme of things, she hasn't really had a major role in the story since about halfway through the Red Ribbon arc. That's a real shame once you realize it, and it's nice that it's something that Toriyama seems to be working on changing as we head into another arc. And speaking of nice things, let us pause for a moment as I do the cartoon wolf whistle reaction to Bulma's new look when she comes to visit everyone in the hospital. Absolutely one of her best looks, and I will hear absolutely NO ARGUMENTS on this point, AWOOGA. ...Don't you judge me. Alright, so with that potentially sexist moment out of the way, things unfortunately take a downward turn for everyone again when Bulma, sexy new look and all, accidentally explodes their nice new Saiyan pod instead of getting to deconstruct how it works at all. Oops. Just when things were looking up at last, things once again seem impossible – and that's when a rather unexpected visit from Mr. Popo comes in. As strange as it is to see him off of Kami's sanctuary, what he says is even more of a surprise. Where in the world could he have found another spaceship? Hmm... Until next time! Favorite Panel:
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About the AuthorAspiring author and big anime/manga fan, just trying to do my best in the world. For more details, go to About Me. Archives
September 2022
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